Multiple 1,2‐O,O‐Shift of tert‐Butyldiphenylsilyl Groups in Polyols

Irrespective of chain length and configuration, polyols are subject to base-catalyzed migration of a tert-butyldiphenyl protective group from a secondary to a primary position. Such a migration occurs as a sequence of 1,2 shifts, and can therefore be prevented by the interventin of methyl branching; e.g., 1a → 2 ← 1b.